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Tips for nannies: Nailing day 1

Getting the first day on the job right for a nanny is important. First impressions with a family have already been made, but it's time to show that you really have the skills and personality to not only care of a child but make a difference in its life. Nanny Magazine's recent list of the "16 Things a Nanny Should Know by the First Day on the Job" outlines some tips and tricks for extending the positive first impression that got you the job into the first day and continuing to wow the family.

The list includes suggestions like:

1. Remember to get all the keys you need
Whether given keys, a security code or both, nannies in Los Angeles have to make sure they remember to get these on the first day and keep them safe and secure. Forgetting a key or passcode to a security system can not only be embarrassing, but cost a job as well.

2. Memorize phone numbers
In the age of cellphones it can be easy to log a phone number and forget it, but nannies are in a delicate position where they may need to get ahold of parents and guardians, emergency services and other contacts at a moments notice, and if a cellphone is dead or unreachable, it is critical to know those numbers by heart. Memorizing the numbers for the family doctor, the parents' offices, family members and other emergency services can help resolve a tense situation faster later on, and also look good to the family.

3. Learn the family safety practices
Everyone approaches safety differently, from having an evacuation plan to keeping dangerous chemicals out of reach of the children. Learning what steps a family takes to keep their children safe and adopting them or improving upon them can help nannies keep their charges safe while demonstrating key awareness to the family. Whether a child has allergies, what the family's emergency meeting place or password is and the child's medical needs are critical questions to ask on the first day.

Whether you're looking for a job as a fulltime nanny, or are searching for that perfect nanny to watch over your children, we at Colonial Domestic Agency can help!